Dawat Menu
دعوت مینو
A complete festive spread for family and guests
Biryani or pulao, qorma, seekh kebabs, naan, raita, salad and a sweet dish for 6-8 guests, ready in about 2 hours
One tablespoon = 15 ml; one teaspoon = 5 ml.
About Dawat Menu
A dawat is a Pakistani invitation meal for family and guests, and this menu brings together everything a host usually serves: fragrant rice, a rich qorma, juicy seekh kebabs, fresh salad, cooling raita, naan and a sweet finish such as kheer or zarda. It suits Eid, family gatherings, dinners with guests and other special occasions.
The menu balances hearty mains with lighter sides and a dessert. The secret to serving it smoothly is planning: marinate the meat and soak the rice first, keep the sides ready before cooking the mains, and finish the rice on dum so everything reaches the table hot.
Kitchen testing has not been documented for this recipe. Cooking times are estimates and vary with the stove, cookware and batch size. Follow the doneness checks in the method.
Make it work for your kitchen
Also known as Pakistani dawat menu, Dawat food menu, Pakistani dinner party menu.
Original quantities serve 6. Cooking times, pan size and frying-oil depth do not scale, cook in extra batches instead.
Before you start
Marinate the meat
Marinate the chicken or mutton with yogurt, ginger garlic paste and spices, and keep it for at least 30 minutes, or longer.
PreparationSoak the rice
Wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in water for 20-30 minutes.
PreparationPrepare the kebab mixture
Mix the minced meat with the onion, green chillies, fresh coriander and spices. Keep ready.
PreparationChop the salad and keep the sides ready
Prepare the raita, salad, chutney, dates and sweet dish. Keep all the sides ready before cooking the mains.
Preparation
Step-by-step cooking method
1 Marinate the meat
Marinate the chicken or mutton with yogurt, ginger garlic paste, spices and a little oil. For the rice dish, use its own yogurt, ginger garlic paste, biryani or pulao masala, red chilli powder, turmeric, salt and lemon juice. Keep covered for at least 30 minutes, or longer for deeper flavour. Marinate both meat batches in the refrigerator. Keep the kebab mixture, raita and cut salad refrigerated until needed.
2 Prepare the qorma base
Heat the oil or ghee in a pan and fry the onions until golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste, whole spices and the qorma spices. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the masala is fragrant and well blended. Make the masala for the rice dish the same way in a second pot, adding its tomatoes, and set aside some fried onions for garnish.
3 Cook the qorma
Add the marinated meat to the masala and cook on medium heat, then add the yogurt. Simmer until the meat is tender and the qorma is rich and flavourful. Cook the rice-dish meat in its masala until tender and the masala is thick. For chicken, verify 74°C (165°F) in the thickest piece. Mutton can require substantially longer; follow tenderness rather than the 25-30-minute chicken estimate.
4 Parboil and layer the rice
Boil the soaked rice with whole spices and salt until 70-80% cooked, then drain. Layer the rice with the cooked meat masala for biryani, or keep it separate for pulao, adding fried onions, coriander, mint and saffron milk, if using.
5 Steam the rice
Cover tightly and cook on low heat (dum) for 20-25 minutes until the rice is fully cooked, fluffy and aromatic.
6 Prepare and cook the kebabs
Shape the kebab mixture into seekh kebabs and grill them on a barbecue or pan-fry on high heat with a little oil, turning until evenly cooked and nicely charred. Check the centre reaches 71°C (160°F) for ground beef/lamb, or 74°C (165°F) for ground poultry.
7 Make the raita, salad and sides
Mix the yogurt with some of the cucumber and a pinch of salt for the raita. Toss the salad leaves, cucumber, tomatoes and onion. Set out the dates and chutney and warm the naan or roti. Keep everything ready for serving.
8 Assemble the dawat menu
Arrange the rice, qorma, kebabs, naan, raita, salad and sweet dish on a festive serving spread. Garnish beautifully and serve hot to your guests.
Chef’s tips
- Plan the components in advance for smooth serving.
- Keep the rice slightly undercooked before dum.
- Marinate the meat longer for deeper flavour.
- Grill the kebabs on high heat for a smoky finish.
- Serve the whole menu hot and fresh.
Common mistakes & quick fixes
- Rice too soft
- Parboil it for less time next time, only to 70-80%.
- Qorma too oily
- Cook it longer so the masala comes into balance.
- Kebabs breaking
- Chill the mixture before shaping.
- Raita too thin
- Use thick yogurt.
- Menu timing off
- Prepare the sides ahead so only the mains need last-minute attention.
Variations & serving ideas
Smaller gathering: Scale the component recipes by servings and cook them in appropriately sized pots; individual cooking times do not scale directly.
Milder table: Reduce chillies in the main dishes and offer hot chutneys separately so guests can season their own plates.
Perfect result check
| Rice | Fluffy and aromatic. |
|---|---|
| Qorma | Rich, with tender meat. |
| Kebabs | Juicy and well shaped. |
| Raita | Cool and creamy. |
| Salad | Colourful and fresh. |
Storage & reheating
| Serving | Best fresh | Best enjoyed fresh and hot. |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 2 days | Refrigerate leftovers in covered containers and reheat gently before serving. |
Know when to change the heat
| Stage | Heat | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Qorma base | Medium heat | Onions golden brown; masala fragrant and well blended. |
| Qorma simmer | Medium to low heat | Meat tender; gravy rich with oil on the surface. |
| Rice on dum | Low heat | Rice fully cooked, fluffy and aromatic after 20-25 minutes. |
| Kebabs | High heat | Evenly cooked and nicely charred. |
Helpful answers before you cook
What should I serve at a Pakistani dawat?
A typical dawat menu includes a rice dish such as biryani or pulao, a qorma or curry, kebabs, naan, raita, salad, chutney and a sweet dish like kheer or zarda.
How many people does this dawat menu serve?
The quantities are planned for 6-8 people.
What can I prepare ahead for a dawat?
Marinate the meat, soak the rice, mix the kebab mixture and prepare the raita, salad, chutney and sweet dish before you start cooking the mains.
How do I stop the kebabs from breaking?
Chill the kebab mixture before shaping, then cook on high heat, turning carefully.
